The Calm Before The Storm
by Cartooned
Summary: Harry Potter can already tell that this year is going to be weirder then the last one. For starters he is seeing people's magic, the castle is talking to him, he's already passed out once, and the term hasn't even started yet. after OOPT
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: I don't own anything you read here, I have stolen all the characters from J.K Rowling, but if you don't already know that, I really don't know why you are reading Harry Potter fan fiction in the first place.

21/11/07 – Just fixing up some spelling and grammar errors.

Prologue, 1996, Harry Potter 6th Year.

Albus Dumbledore's Point of View.

Harry Potter has never had a very high sense of self worth. Maybe thats what has motivated him to throw himself into danger for the sake of others? A learned character trait, that could have only come from his less than ideal upbringing by the Dursleys. He had after all; grown up being told that he had as much worth as the piece of garbage they had stepped on in the streets last week. After he came to Hogwarts, he started to think better of himself, started to think he was of some worth but still the trait to put everyone else first and foremost, never changed. It is my fault Harry Potter went though what he did, by leaving him to grow up with his aunt and uncle, I doomed him to ten lonely years, and six long summers. I did what I thought was best. If he had stayed in the wizarding world, he might have grown up bigheaded around media and politicians, who put him on a pedestal for their own gain, then drop him when things go wrong. Also I could not allow the possibility of Death Eaters to kill him, in revenge for their old master.

His life was destined to be a dangerous one, whatever happened, and I hoped by what I did, I gave him a bit more time to hang onto his innocence. After Voldemort's first fall in 1981, the Unspeakable's wanted custody of him, to make him in to the ultimate weapon. I could not see that happen to one of my trusted friend's baby boy. To leave him to grow up without emotion, training as a killer before he could even walk, was unthinkable, and to leave him with the Dursleys was the lesser of two evils.

His ancestry shone though even in the cradle. The Potters had always been a strong family, and Lily Evans was unquestionably a powerful witch. The blood of both families shone though in Harry, after only 6 months he was already showing a limited control over magic, toys went flying to him, whenever he wanted them. I remember the night I was invited over for dinner, and the Potters asked me for advice on what they should do. Most young Wizards and Witches power start showing at the earliest of five, and yet their baby boy was already showing limited control over magic. I suggested a block. Nothing that would stop him, something that would merely limit him to a most one uncontrollable act of magic a year, and after he turned 11, I would release a bit more so he would only be above average in class, nothing to attract the attention of Voldemort, and when he was old enough and responsible enough I would take the block down altogether. It was done that night.

It had only one side effect, his eyesight overnight had become as bad as his father's.

It scares me sometimes to think the amount of faith people put in me, that they believe I have the power to make everything all right, but I don't. I do what I can yes, and my position as headmaster to Hogwarts gives me both influence, and respect, but the truth is I cannot work miracles.

I did what I could for the Potters, and I will do what I can for Harry. For like it or not, the future of our world lies on his teenage shoulders. I will help him as much as I can, but in the end, it will all be up to him.

Chapter 1

Quote: Quisque suos patimur. (We each suffer our own destinies) -Vergil

Harry Potter sighed as he looked out the window of Dudley's second room, and decided that life would be so much easier if for once he could go though a year without anyone worse then Professor Snape trying to kill him. As Harry looked out he could see the Order at work, only just across the street was one of Mrs Figg's cats prowling, keeping watch on him, and more then likely, thought Harry, the cat was probably was also there to make sure Mundungus Fletcher didn't skip watch duty again, for the fifth time that month.

Harry was naturally feeling cooped up, overprotected and basically all round pissed off. As much as things were by far better this year, with the Dursleys leaving him alone, for fear of Mad Eye Moody. Harry simply couldn't bear the looks, and the unnatural silence which fell whenever he entered a room, like they expected him to suddenly turn on them. Apart from locking himself in to his room, and pulling down the blinds, Harry could never be alone. He couldn't comfortably sit in the park or walk the streets when the house became too much, when he knew there was an Order member watching him, close by. Moody had already given him strict instructions not to go past Mrs Figg's house.

Not like Harry would want to venture down that way, not when she had kept the truth from him for so many years.

Like the Dursleys had kept the truth from him.

Like Dumbledore had kept the truth from him.

Even in his sleep he was not alone. Cedric, Sirius, his parents, were always around blaming him in an endless repertoire, like he blamed himself. When it was not his guilt tormenting him, it was Voldemort and his latest murder, or temper tantrum.

Harry sighed again, turned away from the window and let himself fall onto his bed face down. Ever since he had returned he felt shut in. It was like he could feel the wards around the house and going outside was like a breath of fresh air.

He didn't need his eyes or ears to know, Mundungus Fletcher had just skipped out on watch duty again. Ever since the beginning of July, he had been able to feel the magic around him. It had been faint at first, only making him feel certain that something had changed slightly. As the month went on, the feeling came with colour. He had nearly jumped out of skin the day he looked out the window, and was able to see the red barrier around the house, the magic that was protecting him while he stayed at Privet Drive. Only a couple of days ago had the feeling changed again. He could now tell what magic was around, what it was meant to do and what spell it was, without even thinking. The feeling that something had changed slightly had been replaced by a knowing of what had changed.

Harry could only imagine the trouble he was going to have a Hogwarts with all the magic, the pressure of the wards at Privet Drive was going to be light as a feather, compared to wards around Hogwarts. He had even briefly considered owling someone to ask if there was a spell he could use to dampen it. But he didn't want to cry for help, or give anyone anymore reason to treat him like a small child who couldn't take care of himself. He had already faced Voldemort four times, it not like he couldn't handle himself in a dangerous situation. He had been looking after himself since he had been old enough to learn how to dress. The Dursleys hadn't wanted to be closer to him then what was needed, even then.

It not like sensing magic was anything special anyway.

Harry couldn't help but laugh silently as he listened to Mrs Figg quietly telling off Fletcher again. For some reason it was not till a couple of hours later did he realize that he had been listening to a whispered conversation from across the road.

After another silent dinner with the Dursleys, Harry sat on his bed and looked out the window, waiting for Hedwig to come back from hunting. What he would not give to be able to fly away, without having to worry about the dark cloud that was Voldemort, which was hanging over the Wizarding world. To be killed or be a killer, both opinion held little appeal; one held a guileful future, the other offered only death. Just because of a stupid scar, he was a marked man, his future uncertain. Only sixteen and already dodging death's foot steps, because of something he can barely remember.

It's not like he was anything special anyway. He was failing Potions, as Snape was kind enough to inform him every lesson. He was an average student in everything, expect for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but even Harry couldn't explain away, why now and then he was able to do incredible things. A corporeal Patronus at thirteen, killing an basilisk at twelve, getting though the tournament that was designed for seventeen year olds at fourteen, and yet he would still have trouble with a simple charm in class. Harry couldn't help but feel like he could only ever do something special when he was in danger. The rest of the time he was just another normal everyday student who just happened to have a famous scar on his forehead.

The next day brought another exiting day of chores (as he was still expected to earn his keep) and doing homework. Chores were something the Dursleys never seemed to run out of and they always managed to keep him doing chores till well after lunchtime. After which he was allowed to do what ever he wanted as long as he didn't hurt Dudleykins, hang around watching the news, go outside his bedroom or worst of all do any M.A.G.I.C.

Due to his free afternoons it had taken less to no time for him to complete all his homework, even with the 8 foot long potion essay Snape wanted. After a couple of lazy and down right boring afternoons, Harry bought out his textbooks, from 1st to 5th year and re-read them all, expect the Lockhart books, which if it weren't for the unburnable charm on them, he would have happily burned long ago.

He had been amazed at all he had missed in his textbooks during the years, which could have helped him in the numerous sticky situations he had found himself in during his Hogwarts career. He came to finally have some understanding as to why Hermione studies so hard, it's because unlike what he would have been learning in a muggle school. Most of the classes, at least the practical aspects of it he would end up using in some form or another after Hogwarts.

He had come to a revelation. What he learned now, could save his skin later on, and who knows, maybe it will give him a chance against Voldemort. Maybe that was why he could do the advanced spells, because of that tiny little factor, that if he couldn't, he wouldn't just lose a grade, he would lose his life or the life of one of his friends. If he applied that to everything else, just maybe he would stand some sort of chance at defeating him.

He had been reading for a solid 4 hours, and was going though his potions book, when he felt Tonk's apparating in, he heard her and Lupin (who was going off duty) talk for a while, before Lupin apparated away. He was just reading about the effects of Batwing in a oil based potion, when he couldn't help but over hear a conversation between Tonks and Mrs Figg. He tried to ignore it, but gave up all pretences when they mentioned him.

"So really, no one's seen him all summer, we only know he's alright because he sends an owl every three days to Remus. Why am I the only one that thinks that this is not right," said Tonks

"Everyone's worried about him, Tonks. It's understandable he wants some time alone, with what happened to his Godfather. He's always been a quiet boy, he just needs time to think things though," said Mrs Figg

"But still it's not healthy for him to stay locked up in that house with Muggles who hate him."

"At least we know they aren't hurting him."

"Did they used to….?"

"They would drop him off sometimes, with his nose broken, or a bruises, he would always say he had fallen down the stairs, no matter how many times you asked him. He wasn't clumsily. So what else can be assumed?"

"Well at least he will be getting out soon, Dumbledore's thinking of moving him to Hogwarts for the rest of the summer." said Tonks

"Good, no one deserves living in a house with people who hate you, especially Harry. He's been though so much."

Harry stopped listening; light was showing at the end of the tunnel, he was going home.

The next week, Tonks information proved correct, and for Harry; who had already spent more then the minimum amount of time at the Dursleys, and worked his way though all his textbooks, Hogwarts was a welcome distraction. That clear Saturday morning, the Dursleys went out shopping for Dudley schools supplies, having left him at the house to complete the list of chores. An hour later Mrs Figg entered Privet Drive, hobbled down the street passing the identical houses till she reached number four, where she walked down the neat garden path, to rap her knuckles against the door.

Harry having watched Mrs Figg enter Privet Drive, had already got his truck door stairs, and the door opened, before Mrs Figg had time to more her hand away for the door.

Mrs Figg smiled and winked, "Wotcher Harry."

"Tonks!" Harry exclaimed managing to sound surprised, despite the fact he had already known it was her due to the feel of her magic, as soon as she entered the street. As Tonks' magic had a noticeable purple glow with a clumsy feel to it.

Tonks nodded, and stepped inside, Harry closed the door behind her.

"I don't know how you stand this place, everything is so…neat." said Tonks looking around making neat sound like it was bad thing, "What does your aunt do, clean all day?"

'You could say that." answered Harry. 'Though usually she makes me do it.' he thought.

"Sorry about the no notice, Harry. Do you need help packing?" asked Tonks

"Nah, I'm already packed." said Harry moving aside, and showing Tonks the trunk laying behind him.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you knew I was coming before hand." said Tonks, wagging a finger at him.

Harry just smiled and hoped Tonks didn't start fishing for information. Luckily she was already busy looking though the enormous bag on her shoulder. Only a minute later she found what she was looking for, bringing out a small, dark brown, teddy bear.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, Dumbledore made it. It will take you straight to his office, in about 10 minutes." said Tonks

Harry nodded, and put the teddy bear down next to Hedwig's empty cage.

"Now are you going to be a nice young boy, and offer a poor old woman, some tea." said Tonks, putting a over dramatic hand to her heart.

Harry smiled, led Tonks into the kitchen, and while Tonks drunk her tea, Harry found some pen and paper.

_I am going back to school. See you next summer. _

_Harry_

Leaving the note on the kitchen table, where they were sure to find it, Harry picked up the teddy bear and sat on his trunk.

At 10:30 on the dot he felt a pull at his navel and the last thing he heard before he disappeared was Tonks saying goodbye, before he found himself in Dumbledore's office, and he couldn't help his face coloring with shame as he thought of his behavior the last time he was in here.

Fawkes on his stand in the corner, who had been busy preening his feathers, trilled and then went back to preening as Harry stood up, and look around the office for Dumbledore.

_**He is coming.**_

Harry jumped; the voice had seemed to fill his head.

_**Oh, so you can hear me. I've had a feeling it would be you.**_

Harry thought wildly, what?

The wall in front of him suddenly had a door that Harry knew for certain had not been there before.

_**Go on.**_

**Why?**

_**I want to show you something.**_

Harry walked towards the door, put his hand on the handle and it turned easily. He hesitated…

_**Don't you trust me?**_

_**No, I always made it an habit to trust strange voice that suddenly appear in my head and that won't tell me anything**_, thought Harry sarcastically. Harry had a sudden feeling that the voice was laughing.

_**Come, Harry Potter, I will tell all**_.

Harry walked though the door, and found himself in a room that looked very much like a cross between the Gryffindor common room, and his room at the Dursleys. The room was small but cosy, a four poster bed which sat in the back corner of the room, while a fire blazed in the fireplace, and a deep green lounge chair faced the fire.

_**This room is different for everyone, as it shows the place you are most at home. **_

Harry kept looking in wonder, and he realized that for the first time in months, he felt totally at peace. After a couple of minutes, he realized he should have asked something at the beginning.

**Who are you?**

_**The question who should be asking is, who are you?**_

**Why have you suddenly decided to talk to me?**

_**Ever since you walked in to Hogwarts I have been talking to you, it was just that you couldn't hear.**_

**Why can I hear you know?**

_**Because you were born to hear me.**_

**Why won't you just give me a straight answer?** Harry asked frustrated

_**Why do you need one?**_

**I thought you said you would tell all**accused Harry

_**There is no longer enough time, he is nearly there.**_

Then suddenly Harry Potter was sitting in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Harry had only just composed himself as Dumbledore walked in the door, looking a little more world worn then last year.

"Ah, Harry, sorry to keep you waiting, I was in an last minute talk with Professor Snape, I believe he was disagreeing with one of his class lists. But it is of no matter." said Dumbledore sitting down behind his desk.

"Sir…." said Harry, after a couple of second's silence.

"Oh, sorry dear boy, anyway, I wanted to hand you your O.W.L results personally." said Dumbledore, opening a drawer in his desk and handing Harry a sealed envelope, with his name written on the fount in green cursive writing.

Harry opened it slowly,

_Mr H Potter,_

_We are pleased to give you your results of your O.W.L. that you took last school year. _

Harry's hands shock as he turned to the next page for his results.

**Defense Against the Dark Arts**:

Practical: Outstanding + Extra Credit

Theory : Outstanding

**Charms:**

Practical: Outstanding

Theory: Outstanding

**Transfiguration**:

Practical: Outstanding

Theory: Exceeds Expectations

**Herbology:**

Practical: Outstanding

Theory: Exceeds Expectations

**Potions:**

Practical: Outstanding

Theory: Exceeds Expectations

**Astronomy:**

Practical: Dreadful

Theory: Exceeds Expectations

**Care of Magical Creatures:**

Practical: Exceeds Expectations

Theory: Acceptable

**Divination:**

Practical: Dreadful

Theory: Dreadful

**History of Magic:**

Theory: Dreadful

Congratulations, Mr Potter, on achieving a total of

7 Outstanding, 5 Exceeds Expectations, I Acceptable, 3 Dreadful + One Extra Credit

Harry couldn't believe what he was reading, he had never expected to do so well, especially in potions! A thought hit him, and he looked up at Dumbledore, who took one look at him and laughed.

"The pages are charmed, so the marker on the theory can't read the name." said Dumbledore, Harry nodded.

"I trust congratulations, are in order, Harry."

"I got seven outstanding," said Harry, faintly nodding.

"I knew you would do well. May I?" said Dumbledore, nodding his head to the result sheet.

"Of course." said Harry, handing it over.

"As I expected, you did better on the practical then on the theory, and you got extra credit on Defence, very good. I suppose your DA tutor groups, helped you."

"Yeah," said Harry remembering how much he enjoyed teaching DA.

"Everyone in the DA did brilliantly in the O.W.L in defense, if I remember rightly." said Dumbledore absentmindedly.

"Even Neville?" asked Harry, surprised

"Even Mr Longbottom managed to scrape though with an Exceeds Expectations in practical defense." said Dumbledore smiling slightly.

Harry sat back in his chair, he shouldn't have been surprised but he was, remember how bad Neville was at the beginning of the year, and how confident he was in volunteering to go with him to the Ministry of Magic, it was amazing how much Neville had improved.

"His grandmother, was so proud of him, that she sent me at letter that she asked to be handed on to his defense teacher, I believe this letter should rightly go to you." said Dumbledore pulling out another envelope, this time, Harry put it in his pocket to read later.

"Thanks you, Sir." said Harry, politely,

"I suppose you are wondering why I have decided to bring you to Hogwarts early." said Dumbledore, making a tent out of his fingers.

Harry nodded.

"Though I realises you will probably find the work load this year heavier, I am afraid, I must insist on adding to it. With the incident, and what I told you last year, I assume you realise the seriousness of this situation."

"I do." said Harry slowly.

Dumbledore looked at him sadly, the twinkle in his eye dimmed.

"You are too young to bear the world on your shoulders." he said finally

"And you are too old to bear it on yours," said Harry, without thinking, "Oh, I'm sorry sir…"

Dumbledore laughed.

"No, don't be sorry, you are right. In war, people are either too young or too old. When I took care of your guardianship, I had hoped to protect you for as long as possible from your fate. But it seems, I can no longer do so. But I can still teach you, all I know. You will need every trick up your sleeve that you can get, but first, I must remove something I placed on you, when you were only six months. This might cause you to pass out, so be warned. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Dumbledore, smiled down at him, and then whispered a spell, waving his wand in a complicated movement.

For a second Harry felt nothing, and then he felt like a dam was breaking up inside, and he knew no more.

End of Chapter One.

Well, what do you think, good, bad, horrible, excellent, or a bloody waste of space. Please tell me, by using the marvelous new invention on the bottom right hand side.

By the Insane Ruler of the World

Cartooned.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Ramble I really can't believe how many reviews I got, on the first chapter, I am so happy that I'm running around the house bouncing off the walls. I want to say a huge thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I also want to thank my friend Kerry, for looking over the first chapter before I posted it, otherwise there would have been a lot more spelling and grammar mistakes, taking in mind I usually start writing at 11:00 pm.

Sorry it took so long! Enjoy.

22/11/07 – Just fixing up some of my spelling and grammar mistakes

Quote:

We should find our heroes in the bathroom mirror each and every morning."  
Bill Lee

Chapter 2

(Dream)

Harry found himself standing in the middle of a room that could have easily doubled for the Headmasters office. Directly in front of him, standing in front of the desk that dominated the room and leaning causally like he owned the place, was a man who looked to be in his early twenties. While he only stood at couple of feet taller then Harry, he somehow still managed to give off an air of immense power and experience.

"Who are you?" asked Harry, somehow though this man seemed eerily familiar, though Harry knew there was no way he could have ever have forgotten meeting this person.

"Oh don't tell me? I'm too early!" exclaimed the man, running a hand though his black hair, which Harry suddenly noticed had shock of white running across the left side.

"I hate it how months tend to blend into one after a few thousand years, but I could have sworn I had the right date this time around." sighed the man, walking behind the headmaster's desk and sitting down.

"A few thousand years?' asked Harry, incredulously.

"How long have you been at Hogwarts for?" The man asked abruptly, as he leaned forward.

"A hour." said Harry without thinking.

"Damn, I'm a couple of month's too early then." said the man, as he sighed and learned back in his chair. He then waved his hand; and muttering 'forget', Harry was back in a dreamless sleep, with no knowledge of his dream or the man.

When Harry came to, he found himself in the Hospital Wing, and he didn't even try to suppress his groan. He hadn't even been at Hogwarts for a couple of hours, and he had already managed to land himself in the Hospital Wing under Madame Pomfrey's care.

Harry looked around and after not seeing the ever watchful eyes of Madame Pomfrey, he got up.

Ouch!

His head felt like someone was drilling into it from above. He was suddenly aware of the wards pushing down on him. He knew where everyone was and what they were doing. Professor Snape was in the dungeons casting a stirring spell, Professor Dumbledore was knitting a pair of socks in his office, and Madame Pomfrey was walking along the third corridor. His head was spinning, keeping up with it all. A spell was being cast on the third floor; a hex was being placed on a particularly nasty weed in Green house 2. His head was spinning and spinning from trying to take in too much information from too big an area. Harry buried his head in the pillow, covering his ears, and shielding his eyes. There were traces of cleaning, and disinfectant charms everywhere. The whole room was glowing of orange.

It was too much. It was everywhere and he couldn't get away. He was panicking and he couldn't think straight. The wards were pushing down on him; there was no where he could go. He didn't know what to do. He was helpless, losing control of everything.

_**Pull it in, boy. You're going to end up going insane if you keep this up.**_

**I'm not doing anything**, thought Harry gritting his teeth together, in an effort to not lose himself.

_Yes, you are. You are monitoring too big an area, especially for a magical area like Hogwarts. Pull it in, boy. Otherwise you'll go insane and I won't have anyone new to talk to for another 1000 years_.

**I don't know how.**

_**Calm down, reach out with your mind till you reach a resistance, and then pull it in**_ sounded the voice, like it was the simplest thing in the world to do, and that Harry was particularly stupid to not have thought of it himself.

Harry did like he was told, reaching out with his mind, till he found what felt like the end, and he pulled. As he pulled it inwards, his head became clearer, till he could hear and sense only himself, as he pulled it in closer and closer, the walls that were glowing orange, turned to white, and he kept pulling till it was wrapped around him like an warm coat. Though he could still feel the wards pushing down on him, it was no were near as bad as before, though he still had a splitting headache.

Harry groaned holding on to his head, as he sat up, he really need a headache potion.

_**Why don't you make one**_?

**Make what**?

_**Make a Headache potion**_.

**Because I'm horrible at potions**.

_Why_?

**Because I just am, okay? Anyway how come you have to know everything, but you won't tell me anything?**

_**Picky! Didn't even say thank you.**_

The voice went quiet, and Harry started to feel guilty.

**Look, I'm sorry, I have been under at lot of stress, and now suddenly, I can sense magic, I have a voice invading my head every few minutes, and I've already managed to get myself sent to the Hospital Wing, and on top of all that, I have a headache the size of a Hungarian Horntail.**

_I didn't know that._

**Know what? **Harry asked exasperated.

_That a person can have a headache the size of a Hungarian Horntail._

Luckily for the voice, Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to walk back in, which was not quite so lucky for Harry.

"Harry James Potter, what on earth are you doing up? You are going to get straight back in to that bed, mister!" yelled Madame Pomfrey, causing Harry to nearly jump out of his skin.

Muttering something about 'youths who didn't know what was best for them' Madame Pomfrey made sure he was back safe and sound in one of the hospital bed, before she started talking more calmly. "I swear, for someone who is not clumsily, you are here nearly as often as Neville Longbottom."

"Good thing I'm not clumsily then, otherwise you would probably never get rid of me," joked Harry, half heartedly, his voice hoarse from nonuse.

"I'd have to set a bed aside just for you, if you were." said Madame Pomfrey, surprising Harry by continuing the joke.

She sat herself, in the chair on the right hand side of his bed, and she poured him a glass of water. Harry gulped it down quickly, and as soon as he felt he had his voice back, asked what had been on his mind since he woke up.

"So how long was I asleep for this time?" asked Harry wearily, thinking it couldn't be more then an hour.

"A couple of weeks."

"A couple of weeks!" exclaimed Harry, trying to sit up, but his efforts were put to nothing as Madame Pomfrey held him down.

"Yes a couple of weeks, Mister Potter. You were in coma!" said Madame Pomfrey, making sure he was not going to try to sit up again before she moved her hand.

"But I couldn't have been!" said Harry incredulously.

"Mister Potter," said Madame Pomfrey sternly, "who actually is the medic-witch here?"

Harry blushed, "You"

"And who has just told you that you have been in coma for the last couple of weeks?"

"You."

"Well, I'm glad we've got that sorted out. Now do try to get your rest Mister Potter, and absolutely no trying to get up before I say so. Do you hear me?" said Madame Pomfrey getting up out of her seat, and standing over him.

"Yes, Madame"

"Good, do try to get some sleep now, Mister Potter." said Madame Pomfrey, patting his arm, before going to her office.

_**Wow**_

**What?** Harry asked not in the mood to be polite to a voice that had taken a liking to invading his head, at least this time it wasn't Voldemort.

_**That woman has to be one of the most mother-hen nurses Hogwarts has ever had.**_

**How long have you been at Hogwarts?**

_**You don't know what I am?**_

No, said Harry bluntly.

Harry could feel the voice laughing.

_**I am the castle**_. A note of pride was evident in its voice.

**The castle?** Harry repeated disbelieving.

_What on earth do they teach at this school? Of course I'm the castle. Magic is a living force, I'm built with magic, the founders magic! The magic that built me makes me basically a sentient mixture of the founder's personalities. _

**So any building built with magic, would probably be in some degree sentient,** thought Harry, **I wonder if the burrow is sentient. **

_**The burrow? I am in no way comparable to a...a….burrow? I am a castle, built by four of the most famous wizards and witches of history!**_

Harry rolled his eyes and stayed silent.

_You know, compared to others I have talked to over the years, you don't sound too surprised that a voice is talking to you. The last guy I talked to immediately fainted, and another run away screaming. _

**This holiday has already been the weirdest yet, that right now I don't think I would be surprised if Snape walked in, in a tutu and started to dance the hula. I'd probably be a little grossed out, but not surprised.**

The castle laughed.

It was only a couple of hours later when Harry got his first visitor.

Harry had been dozing in and out of sleep for the last two hours, using this time to run through what he knew out of his defense books, and when he opened his eyes, he was faced with a shadow of a person standing at the window with his back to him.

"Professor?" asked Harry his mind still clouded with sleep.

Professor Dumbledore turned, walked out of the light, and sat down on the chair that Madame Pomfrey had vacated a couple of hours ago.

"How are you feeling?" asked Dumbledore looking at him, his twinkling blue eyes looking at him sadly.

"Alright, Sir." answered Harry, using his arms to push himself up. Dumbledore held him down.

"Madame Pomfrey has already informed me, that if you are to sit up, I am out on my rear, in no uncertain terms." said Dumbledore.

Oh this is hilarious, the headmaster is afraid of the medic-witch.

Harry had to snuffle a laugh that was threatening to escape, which ended up turning in to a snort.

"Now, let's try this again. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," said Harry sharply, then realising he was being rude continued. "Sir."

"That's all well and good, but the truth, please?" said Dumbledore looking at him sadly.

"I have a headache, my throat is sore, and I'm angry at not being allowed up." said Harry eventually, keeping it as truthful as possible.

Dumbledore nodded, "Anything else?"

"No, Sir." said Harry, keeping his mind blank, of anything remotely connected to sensing magic, and having castles talking to you.

Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes looked at him sadly over the half moon glass, before continuing on.

"We started on this subject last week, but we got side tracked……..." started Dumbledore, but was interrupted as something suddenly occurred to Harry.

"Sir, what was that spell you took of me last week?" asked Harry, curiously.

"Oh, it was just a security measure I had to remove." said Dumbledore.

_**I wonder if he was a Slytherin**_, interrupted the voice thoughtfully.

**Dumbledore?** thought Harry a bit taken back that anyone, or anything as the case was, would even think that remotely possible.

_**He makes everyone believe that he is harmless, and he also appears to be a very good lair.**_

**Is lying to me now?**

_**He's only leaving out a few bits of information, just like you were doing earlier. Nothing really important.**_

"Harry?"

Harry jumped,

"Oh. Sorry, Professor, I was daydreaming."

"Perfectly understandable." said Dumbledore smiling, starting to look like his old self again. "I myself have a tendency to wander off course during conversations, and often catch myself daydreaming. I remember the time, I was in this very hospital wing about, oh it must be more then one hundred years ago now. When Grindelwald was at his prime……."

"Hem hem" said a voice behind from Dumbledore, it sounded so much like Umbridge that Harry couldn't help but automatically jump.

Instead of Umbridge, the more welcomed, but no less feared, Madam Pomfrey stood there, tapping at her watch on her wrist.

"Five more minutes, Poppy." said Dumbledore.

"I gave you five more minutes half an hour ago, Headmaster. Mister Potter needs his rest, if you have not already forgotten he has just woken up from a coma. I do not want him unduly disturbed."

"I'm fine," said Harry, interrupting Madam Pomfrey argument with the Headmaster.

"You are not fine!" said Madam Pomfrey fiercely, "You have just woken up from a coma."

"But Madam….."

"But Poppy………….."

"No buts. You can come back tomorrow, Headmaster." said Madam 'Poppy' Pomfrey, crossing her arms and standing firm.

"We will continue this discussion later on, Harry. It seems I am to be kicked out." said Dumbledore, standing up out of his chair and walking to the door. "Madam Pomfrey, Harry." and after a deep nod to them both he left the Hospital Wing.

"Now, you get some rest." said Madam Pomfrey, turning her fierce glaze towards him.

"Yes, Madam." said Harry meekly.

Madam Pomfrey looked at him hard, as if to check if he was lying, and only when she was convinced of his being sincere, did she leave the wing for her office leaving the door open a crack so she would hear if Dumbledore slipped back in.

_**She is an extremely protective mother-hen.**_

**Understatement of the year.**

_**You say that like it's a bad thing?**_

**Not bad, just**…… Harry paused as he thought it out. ..**different then what I'm used to.**

_**Well, at least she not sadistic**_.

The voice began telling a story about a nurse a Hogwarts 400 years ago, who always used the most painful methods possible. At Harry's insistence, the voice began telling different stories spaced out over 1000 years.

An hour later, Harry Potter was fast asleep, and he ended up having another dream he would later wake up, having no knowledge of.

Like before Harry found himself in a room that could have easily doubled for the Headmasters office, and the man was still there, this time standing to the side of the desk.

Like before, Harry spoke up first.

"Who are you?" asked Harry.

"I can't tell you till you know, not even here. But it is no longer possible to delay your training. I was hoping to wait till you knew, but that is no longer an option." said the man, pacing the office, looking tense.

"What training?"

"For your……" started the man, then abruptly stopped, "Dumbledore has taken off the spell, hasn't he?"

"You mean the security measure? He took that off a couple of weeks ago." said Harry, not entirely sure why he trusted this stranger so much.

"Did you feel any…..different when you woke up?" asked the man slowly.

"No, should I?" said Harry

The stranger sighed, and then pushing the black hair out of his face the man muttered something softly in a strange language.

"Oh well, you'll know soon enough, so I guess it doesn't matter now, but still we must begin your training immediately." said the man, switching back to English.

"I don't understand what training?" said Harry.

The man rubbed his forehead.

"Look, I can't tell anything, and I mean anything, till you know but due to circumstance out of my control, you must begin training now, for you're…" the man paused there, like he was searching for the right word. After a couple of seconds he found it, but he said it in such a tone, that left the person in no doubt that he hated this word. "..destiny."

"Why should I trust you?" said Harry

The man stepped closer,

"Because what I can teach you now will save your life later on, once you remember you who are."

"I know who I am." said Harry defensively.

"Then who are you?" said the man, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm…….." started Harry, he paused suddenly he wasn't so sure.

"Oh, you have always known who people expect you to be. You're spent so much time living up to their expectations, that you lost yourself." said the man sadly, looking him directly in the eye, making sure his point hit home.

He couldn't deny it, as Harry knew it was true that he had always let the expectations and views of others direct his actions. Just like in first year when he let the views of Hagrid and Ron, direct the Sorting Hat's decision, though his first run in with Draco Malfoy hadn't helped matters, what with the snotty attitude, and disdain which had reminded him so much of the cousin that he had just escaped.

"So are you ready to begin training?" asked the man.

Harry nodded, causing the man to grin widely. Suddenly an idea came to him.

"Oh, what was your name again?" asked Harry quickly, hoping for him to slip up, "I missed it earlier."

The man opened his mouth as if to answer, then laughed instead.

"Nice try, but you have to get up a lot earlier in the morning to trick me." said the man.

Hours later, Harry woke up after a dreamless sleep; feeling like he had barely slept at all.

Dumbledore didn't come back the next day, or the day after. In a way Harry was relieved, it meant that he didn't have to start thinking about his future. On the downside it meant that Harry was struck in the hospital wing, under the care of the hawk eyed, mothering nurse, who had only just let him start walking around the wing. Though to be truthful it wasn't as bad this time. Maybe it was because it was the school holidays, and that he was her only patient but every now and again Madame Pomfrey would sit with him.

Mostly they would talk about Hogwarts and some of the funny cases she has had in her care since she started. Over a couple of days he picked up bits and pieces about her life away from the castle, with her three grown up children and five adorable grandkids. How her husband, an Auror, had been one of the many who had died a Voldemort's hand at least sixteen years ago.

Madame Pomfrey was not the only Hogwarts resident that had suddenly found him easy to talk to. Professor McGonagall and Professor Fickwick often came by to keep him company. They usually talked about his parents Lily and James, and what they were like in school. They also helped him pick up things in Transfiguration and Charms, which he hadn't been able to in a full classroom of students. He seemed to be able pick up on things so much more easily when they were causally explained to him in interesting detail. Also in these conversations, the passion the professors had for their subject was evident and obviously catchy, as Harry found himself several days later debating evolutionally Transfiguration theory, with Professor McGonagall.

Hogwarts now seemed to be more his home then ever. With his conversations with the castle itself, and his fledging friendship with some of the Professor's and staff. He couldn't think of a place where he was more comfortable then Hogwarts. The wards that had been so heavy the couple of hours after he had woken up, was now a comfortable, and familiar weight like a warm cardigan on a cold day.

After another week of resting, talking with the professor's and arguing for his right to walk around the room, he was finally allowed to leave the Hospital Wing.

"Now, Mister Potter," said Madame Pomfrey that afternoon while giving him his last check over. "I expect you to eat three decent sized meals a day, and don't think I won't know if you don't, I have my sources amongst the house elves. Also if you feel any pain at all, I want you to come straight back here, understood?"

Harry nodded, as she took his temperature and blood pressure.

Madame Pomfrey smiled at him fondly.

"Now while I don't want to see you as a patient for at least half way in to the term, don't be a stranger."

"I won't, Madame." said Harry smiling.

She smiled at him slightly before the stern professional took over.

"That about does you, Mister Potter." said Madame Pomfrey, closing the curtain around his bed, so he could get changed out of the hospital grown.

Left alone, Harry slipped in to a pair of black jeans, and a white t-shirt, before putting on top a black robe. The clothes, which was apparent with anyone remotely familiar with Harry's wardrob were clearly not his. They had been left for him folded neatly on the chair, with a note in a familiar handwriting on top.

The note had simply said…

_Harry,_

_I have taken the liberty of purchasing a few new articles of clothing for you as when your truck was searched yesterday for something for you to change in to today, it yielded only a few school robes, and yards of material in shapes of t- shirts and trousers, which I concluded that any normal person would simply drown in._

_We still have much more to talk about, so I request that your first spot of visit be my office, where I can arrange with you your accommodation, and go over, a few necessities. _

_Professor Albus Dumbledore._

**Oh no.**

_**What is it?**_

**Dumbledore brought me some clothes.**

_**That's good of him. The clothes you were wearing before were absolutely hideous.**_

**I know, but….**

_**What the big deal? He brought you some clothes, get over it. You might as well wear them; I thought you wanted to get out of here.**_

**I know but….** said Harry, as he leaned against the wall, only to feel like he had just been electrocuted. **OW! What was that for?**

_**You're being an idiot.**_

In the end Harry did put on the clothes, having no other option, but not without a lot of muttering about 'bossy castles', 'maddening headmasters' and 'it must be a bloody conspiracy'.

Half an hour later found Harry still standing in fount of the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had 'forgotten' to give Harry the password, and the castle was not being very helpful. It apparently didn't like being called bossy.

"Smarties…mnm….Jelly Babies…Sherbet Lemons….Oh can't you just open up, he's expecting me." said Harry, but the gargoyle was unmoved and remained stubbornly in place.

**Can't you open it up? You are the castle aren't you?**

_**I don't see why I should; beside I wouldn't want to start seeming 'bossy'.**_

Harry felt like throwing his hands up in disgust. The only good thing that had happened today was that he had finally been allowed to leave the hospital wing. Then it had gone steady wrong from there, starting with Dumbledore giving him clothing, the castle being in a temper and showing it by moving staircases to go the opposite direction while he was already on it, and now Dumbledore 'forgetting' to give Harry the password.

**Great! What else could possibly go wrong?**

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here Potter?" said Snape having just come sweeping down the corridor, with his robe billowing out behind him.

"Trying to guess the password, Sir." said Harry,

'That is self evident, I meant what are you doing out of the Hospital Wing." said Snape sharply.

"I imagine that would also be self-evident." said Harry, without thinking "Sir."

Snape gave him a long hard glare, before almost spiting out, "Bird Brains"

The gargoyle immediately stepped aside. Harry looked at Snape.

"Don't ask." growled Snape.

Restricting his comment to a mere rising of his right eyebrow, Harry jumped on to the moving staircase and let it take him and Snape up to the headmaster's office, the only problem was that it refused to move any further once it got about halfway between the gargoyle and Dumbledore's office.

While Snape got his wand out to try to get the damn thing moving, Harry sighed, and turned inwards, of all the things the castle could have done in revage, it just had to pick sticking him with Snape on a small moving staircase. It was time to start groveling.

**Look I'm sorry I called you bossy**.

_**You're only saying that because you're stuck there.**_

**Partly, but also because that I am sorry**

_**But mainly because your stuck on a staircase with Snape.**_

**Well…..**

_**In that case I don't know if I should accept your apology.**_

**Look can you just get this damn thing moving, I'll make it up to you later.**

_**Anything?**_ The castle now sounding interested, which immediately put Harry on his guard.

**Depends on what it is**. Harry said carefully

_**How about you have to clean out the chamber of secret, it's getting kind of smelly down there now, and beside it was all your fault anyway, that there is a rotting **__**basilisk**__** down there!**_

**What else could I do? It was trying to kill me!**

_**Pity it failed, s**_aid the castle nastily.

**Fine, I promise I will clean out the chamber of secrets as soon as possible, now can you get this god damned staircase moving, before I do something I'll really regret.**

**Fine, you don't have to be so impatient about it.**

Seconds later the staircase began to move up towards Dumbledore's office, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. When the staircase finally reached Dumbledore's door, Snape turned swiftly to face him, his black robes billowing out behind him.

"Potter, wait outside. I have something important to discuses with the Headmaster," said Snape abruptly, leaving Harry alone on the staircase as he knocked once, barged his way in to the headmaster's office and slammed the door behind him.

Just as Harry was getting himself comfortable for a long wait, the door slowly opened again, and Harry walked past an extremely displeased Snape.

"Ahh Harry, how are you today?" asked Dumbledore as Harry sat down in the empty chair closet to the window. Snape closed the door loudly and stood behind the other chair.

"Fine, Sir." answered Harry after a slight hesitation. He could tell that Dumbledore was not satisfied with his answer but let it go for now at least.

"Good. Now Severus would you please continue with what you were saying?" said Dumbledore leaned forward making a tent out of his fingers.

"Sir, I really must protest…." started Snape, looking at Harry angrily.

Dumbledore stopped him, giving him a hard look.

"If that is what you wish Headmaster." Snape sighed, speaking though his teeth.

"It is." said Dumbledore calmly.

Snape shoot another look at Harry, and looked straight at Dumbledore as he talked, probably to try and ignore the fact that Harry was sitting there listening.

"A Dark Mark had been spotted last night above a house in Little Whinging, Surrey. I believe you know which one, Headmaster."

Harry immediately tensed. There could only be one reason Voldemort would bother with that muggle community so soon. The Dursleys. All Harry could think of at that moment was that if his worst fears were realized, if the Dursleys had died because of him, it would have been his fault. They didn't even like him, and now it was likely they had died, for their connection to him, as the only living family he had left. Everyone around him seemed to die, and it was all Harry could do not to curl up in a ball, and shut out the world completely.

"I wasn't given any of the details till after the attack. Luckily no one was home at the time, apparently they had moved to America a week back in a hurry." continued Snape.

Harry let go of the breath he hadn't been aware of holding. This caused both Dumbledore and Snape to look at him.

"Good." said Harry his voice more confident then he felt. In truth he felt like vomiting, the Dursleys had been in danger just because they looked after him. How many more deaths would he be the catalyst of before this war is over?

Not only did Harry have to kill or be killed, he felt like he was endangering everyone who stuck around him, even his muggle relatives hadn't been safe from it. What would he do if Voldemort decided to target Ron or Hermione, and he lost the only friends he had ever had? How could he face their families, knowing he was catalyst of their death? It had been bad enough with Cedric, what if the Weasley rightly didn't want anything to do with him any more.

Harry was so wrapped up in this type of thinking that before he knew it, Snape had gone, and it was just Dumbledore and him sitting in the office in silence.

"Now where did we get up to last time?" said Dumbledore after a moment of moving some of paper's around on his desk. "Oh yes, how could I forget, I have decided to introduce a new class this year, do to with defense, Moody and Tonks have already agreed to run them. While I know that the normal load of work in 6th year is more then enough, I am afraid I am going to have to insist you take this elective, instead of your normal Divination elective. I hope this is not too unagreeable for you?"

Harry smiled, "No, Sir."

"Excellent, now moving on, I wish to talk to you about those DA meeting you held last year…………."

_Dear Ron and Hermione,_

_Guess what? Dumbledore given us permission to continue with DA, well he didn't actually say it, but you know how he is. I'm also dropping Divination, sorry Ron, but no way I'm going to sit though another year of listening to someone predict my death every week. I'm taking a class with Moody and Tonks instead._

_Anyway as you probably already know from Dumbledore, I'm at Hogwarts for the rest of the summer. It a big change from the Dursleys, I've been getting in a lot of flying practice, and yes Hermione I have already completed my homework. It's been great except for the fact that Dumbledore making me complete the__occlumency__ lessons with Snape starting tomorrow, and he's also making me do some potions work so I don't 'end up blowing up his classroom next term'._

_Madame Pomfrey's been a mother hen ever since I got here, making sure I eat enough to food to feed at least one staving third world country each night. She's determined to 'fatten me up'; I'm beginning to think she's been spending to much time talking with your mum, Ron._

_Moody and Tonks, just got here just last night, and this morning at 5:00am I was woken up to run around the Quidditch Pitch 20 times. I swear Moody is sadistic, this morning he woke me up by blowing an air horn in my ear._

_Anyway, wish I was where ever you two are._

_Harry,_

"Ok, this is a sword." said the man, holding it up. "You hold the pointy end away from yourself. The aim of this weapon, is to stick the pointy end in to your enemy. Any Questions?"

"Yeah, which ends the pointy one again?" said Harry jokingly.

"Very funny, you little smartass. How you even used one before?" asked the man.

"Once to kill a basilisk," said Harry, "but beside's that, no I haven't."

"Since you're a first time user, you're going to be more danger to yourself then others, so….." said the man, and suddenly instead of holding a sword, he was holding two sticks, "we will use these to begin with."

The man, tossed one of the sticks to Harry and he caught it in the air.

"We will do some freestyle first, to see what level you should start on. After which we will start on some drills."

"Sounds great," said Harry sarcastically.

The man sighed, and dropped the sticks. "Ok, what the hell is eating you tonight. I've seen a less surly Dementor."

"Nothing." said Harry automatically, before sighing at the look the man was giving him and continuing. "I've just got two classes with Snape tomorrow that's all."

"And that's bad, why?"

"I hate Snape, and he hates me."

"Why?"

"Because he hated my father."

"And you hate him, why?"

"Because he hates me."

"Isn't that just a tad irrational" said the man.

Harry glared.

"Ok, I can take a hint, but just think about it kid." said the man. "Now, let's see what you're got."

Harry woke up the next morning to a clash of cymbals, he groaned, burying himself deeper under the blanket, and bringing his pillow around his ears to soften the noise. The noise stopped soon after, and Harry had already fallen back asleep, when he was awaked again with a splash of cold water.

For some reason this more then anything else Moody had done shocked Harry to the core, and before he knew it, he had sat straight up in bed, and…….

Suddenly Moody was on the floor against the wall, at least six feet from were he had been standing two seconds ago.

For a minute or two, they didn't say anything, simply stared at each other, at the mere impossibility of what Harry had just done without a wand, it was like he had done it as a long forgotten reflex, and that thought for some reason stuck a cord with Harry.

Before long though, Moody had recovered enough to grumble that it was definitely going to be Tonk's turn to wake him up tomorrow, before ordering him to jump to and be dressed in five for his run around the Quidditch pitch.

For some reason this caused Harry to grin, the more things change the more they stay the same. That grin also caused Harry two more extra laps, followed by fifty push ups, and fifty stomach crunches.

If what Harry had done was mentioned at all during the day, Harry didn't hear of it.

Once his morning torture sessions was over and done with for the day, Harry headed reluctantly down to the dungeons, as while he would have happily put of his lesson with Snape completely, there was no way he was going to be late. That was only asking for trouble. Once he reached Snape's office, he knocked softly.

"Come in." snapped Snape from within.

Harry opened the door slowly, and walked in.

After lunch found Harry in the room of the requirement, determined to brush up on his dueling ability, and he read as much as he get his hands on. From books such as '_How not to lose your head _and_ 153 defense spell, to use to defend yourself from danger, instead of running for your life _by the bestselling author of _153 Attack spells, in case your friend's turn out to be real bastards_ to '_Dueling; A history'_. As well as '_Dueling: How not to get yourself killed'_.

Harry also read up on anything he could find about Voldemort's first rise from newspaper articles to books. Thinking that by knowing what Voldemort had done the first time around, might help to give him an idea of what he could expect to happen in the next couple of years. There was no way Harry was going to allow he's friends to get in to the amount of danger they did last year, because of his need to rush in to danger and 'play the hero'.

The hours flew like minutes, and it was not till the castle spoke up that he realised the time.

_**You are planning to have dinner tonight aren't you?**_

**Of course, Madame Pomfrey would have a fit if I missed a meal. Why do you ask?**

_**Oh, just a thought, and that it happens that the house elves just sent the food up to the great hall.**_

**Bugger!** exclaimed Harry, dropping his books on the table, before running down to the Great Hall.

When Harry eventually make it to the Great Hall he was ten minutes late and therefore had to sit in the worst seat on the table, between Snape and Trelawney. While he and Snape had come to a understanding to ignore each other. Trelawney was under no such understanding, so Harry had to spend the whole of dinner, being told the numerous ways he was going to die, like he has meant to for the last three years.

By desert time, she was reading his palm,

"Oh, my dear child, you have such a short life line, such a close relationship with death at such a young age.

"For Merlin's Sake women, will you crease scaring the boy in to an early grave, and in the process giving all the rest of us a headache." snapped Snape, glaring at Trelawney over Harry's head.

Harry was shocked, Dumbledore was mildly amused, Flitwick fell out of his chair, and McGonagall laughed outright.

Harry couldn't help but grin he had never seen the Professor's so informal, as they had been this summer. Flitwick kept the table laughing by telling dirty jokes, and McGonagall went around with her hair down, something that no one would ever believe if they hadn't been there, and she apparently actually had grandchildren. One of which was coming tomorrow, which McGonagall made sure to warn him of that night.

"Now, Harry. I hope that while he is here that you will keep him out of trouble, he is always getting into it no matter what his poor mother and I do." said McGonagall,

"Potter!" scoffed Snape, "actually keeping someone out of trouble when he can barely keep himself out of it. Ha! That will be the day."

"I don't remember you being invited in to this conversation," said McGonagall, giving as good as she got.

"You didn't seem to care about that when you barged in to my discussions with Dumbledore last week did you."

"It was for your own good and you know it."

Dumbledore stepped in, "Children, Children, there is no need to argue."

They both glared at him.

"Well if it makes you feel better by all means argue away."

They bickered about everything from teaching to Harry himself, all night, leaving the rest of the table walking away after dessert wishing only for someplace quiet, preferably without Snape and McGonagall nearby.

"Now, keep you guard up." yelled the man, from a safe distance from the fighting pair.

"Easy for you to say." yelled back Harry, bringing his sword up to block the overhead hit from his offending partner, a dummy that the man had conquered up an hour ago for Harry to train with.

The fight lasted for the next twenty minutes, to the clash of metal, till at last his offending partner surrendered after a clever feint to the left by Harry. After bowing to him, the dummy disappeared.

Harry after returning the bow let himself collapse to the floor closing his eyes, he was so tired. Between the Defense class with Moody and the class he had during his dreams that he couldn't even remember when he woke up, he was exhausted. The man had been making him learn how to wield a sword for the last two weeks, and it was only now that it seemed he was finally getting the hang of it. When he did open his eyes again it was to see a sword pointing towards his face

"What did I say about letting your guard down." said the man, before laughing and helping him up. "You got to be careful about being to trusting, if there is ever a doubt about something question it. You have to be careful. Don't take anything on faith."

"Then why should I trust you, I don't know anything about you?" said Harry, on his feet.

"I can't….." started the man.

"….tell me till I know. Yeah I get that part." said Harry finishing his sentence.

"All I can say is that when you do know, I can safely say that you'll know me better then I know myself." said the man, "Now, this time don't let your guard down, and watch your footwork, your tending to favor your right side, don't be to predicable."

"Yes, Sir." said Harry. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, try not to let me make a fool of you again like last time." said the man grinning.

"Oh I won't" promised Harry, bringing up his own sword.

After yesterdays reading marathon, and the welcome fact that Moody and Tonks were going away on business (so therefore couldn't wake him up at 5;30 to train), Harry was looking forward to an long relaxing day. Flying around, and basically doing nothing at all. Unfortunately, if there was one fact of the universe that Harry was well aware it was that he rarely got what he wished for, and instead of waking at the desired hour of 10:00 am, he was woken at 6:30 am. Someone was jumping on his bed. A small short someone.

Grandson...trouble…

Harry groaned.

Why did the one day he got to relax, be the same day a hyperactive eight year old came to the castle?

Ok, please forgive me, for my spelling and grammar errors.

Please feed the review box.


	3. Hyperactive Eight Year Old

Another Note: There is no excuse for the long time between chapter updates, all I cam say is that real life, including family, school, homework, assignments, play practices, keeps me busy. Wait a minute, that Is starting to sound like an excuse! Just count yourselves lucky that someone at my school keeps on insisting I update soon or else!! Otherwise this might have been even later in coming, and then what would you be doing now?

Note to stop confusion

The castle with be in **_bold italic, _**Harry will be in **bold.**

Disclaimer: Unless something has changed, Harry Potter was not written by an Australian. So I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I own nothing that you recognize, that pre dates this story.

Quote

Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said. (I don't know who said this)

Chapter 3

The hyperactive eight year old seeing that his victim was now awake, bellyflopped on the bed, so he was facing him.

"Are you really Harry Potter, because grandma said you were, and that I was not to bother you, but I didn't believe her, and so l asked Uncle Snape, because I knew he wouldn't lie to me, because he doesn't like me, and he said you were too. I don't think Uncle Snape likes you either." said the little boy in one breath, looking up to him with big grey eyes under a mob of light brown hair.

"I know, he hates me." said Harry sitting up in bed, still half asleep. Why in Merlin's name did the kid have to wake him up _today._

"Why does he hate you?" asked the boy sitting on his knees.

"Because he hated my father and because he's a greasy git." answered Harry without thinking of the Pandora's box he was opening, and the trouble that simple statement could cause in the tackless hands of a eight year old.

"Why?" asked the boy curious as to why would hate someone because of someone else..

Harry did not feel like getting in to that, this early in the morning, and so did what every other person does when faced with an tackless questioner. Quickly changed the subject.

"How did you get in here anyway, I mean.., I'm sure I had locked……….." asked Harry, and then stopped himself, and remembering a certain being of sorts, he changed his question. "Let me guess, the door was just open?"

"It was the only door that opened, the rest were _all_ locked, I had to try all of them because Grandma wouldn't tell me which one was yours. She said I wasn't to annoy you and that you have probably still be asleep, but your awake now, and I'm not annoying you am I?" asked the boy, with the simple child logic that because he is awake everyone else should be too.

"Nah, of course your not." said Harry lying though his teeth.

Though the kid wasn't all that annoying, it was simpley that Harry did not appreciate being woken up so early, on his so called day of rest. Especially a sleep deprived one, with a sadistic defence instructor with a liking for ungodly training hours.

Why do you insist on torturing me? whined Harry, to the castle.

****

Constant Vigilance. said the Castle simply. **_Besides someone got to have to keep you one your toes. I'm doing you a favour._**

Yeah, some favour.

Harry had a funny feeling that the castle was laughing at him, and that there was not a thing he could do about it, anytime soon.

"…….and because Mum had to see the Uncle Albus, Mum said I could come too, and see Grandma, and I could meet you as well….."

Why on earth did the castle have pick him to torment anyway. He could just imagine how the rest of the year would go, anytime he hurt the castle's 'feelings' he could see himself being locked out of classrooms, staircases forcing him to go the long way round, and anything else that the castle could think of, to make his life as miserable as possible.

"…….I've read all of your cartoons."

I have cartoons, thought Harry confused, and just a bit freaked out, what else was out there about him, that he didn't know about.

"What's your name?" asked Harry sighing slightly, turning his attention back to his unexpected early morning visitor who was still looking up at him in awe.

"Daniel Hunter." answered the boy, "Do you really have that scar?"

Harry lifted up his bangs in answer.

"Wow, that's so cool." said the little boy, his eyes tracing the scar, "I can't _wait_ to tell school I got to meet you and that my grandma teaches you, in show and tell. We've learnt _all_ about you at school." said the boy, looking at him with something close to wonder.

"You go to a wizardly school?" asked Harry in a mixture of confusion and embarrassment, he had not known there were schools before Hogwarts and he couldn't help but wince slightly that he was a topic.

"Yeah, my mum makes me. It's boring sometimes, because we don't get to learn magic till Hogwarts, but it's alright." said the boy shrugging his shoulders. "Where did you go to school before Hogwarts?"

"I went to a muggle primary school." answered Harry, leaving it at that.

"Really, no way, so you must know all kinds of muggle things." said the boy, suddenly reminding Harry vividly of Mr Weasley.

"I was raised as a Muggle, I didn't know about magic, till I turned eleven." said Harry.

"Like a muggle born?" said the boy excitedly, like it was some kind of a exotic animal you looked at, in a zoo behind glass.

"Yeah, something like that." said Harry, to save argument.

"Wow, my grandfather was one."

"My mother was one as well." said Harry, stating one of the few facts he knew about her.

"I know, we've leant all about the Potters." said Daniel. "How YouKnowWho was taking over everything, and he tired to kill your parents and you, but as soon as he got to you, it was like bam. YouKnowWho was gone and you had that scar! But now that he's back and it all going to go bad just like before, but that's ok because we've still got you and you can," he continued slower, looking up at Harry in awe and wonder, causing Harry to feel like squirming. "stop him again. You will, won't you? Just like last time, only for good this time."

Out of the mouth of babes.

"Yeah." said Harry, remembering the prophecy, the line that stated 'either must die at the hands of the other and that neither can live while the other survives' and rubbing the scar on his forehead, the result of the death spell that Voldemort had cast, unknowingly marking him as his equal. "You could say it was my job."

"Can you remember anything?" asked David. "About that night?"

"Um…a lot of green light." said Harry.

"Wow, that so cool."

No. It's not.

It had only taken another half an hour, before Professor McGonagall found Daniel fast asleep in Harry's room. He had worn himself out, and had fallen asleep on the covers.

McGonagall clinked her tongue when she saw her grandson, but she couldn't help smiling softly at the sight. Looking completely different from the teacher Harry thought he had known for the last five years.

"Poor little mite, I don't think he got any sleep last night. He was so excited that he was going to meet you." said McGonagall sitting on the side of the bed, "He'd been learning about you at school, and he'd grown up like all children knowing your name and story. Reading story books, comics and what nots, on the famous Boy Who Lived. When he found out I was teaching you, he wanted to know everything about you."

"Did you tell him how bad a student I am?" said Harry as lightly as he could, he could feel his colour rising.

"No, I told him you were a good student, who always did his homework before defeating Dark Lords. If I told him otherwise, his mother and I, would probably never be able to get him do his homework ever again. It's a battle as it is! You're his idol, you know."

Harry was blushing again, and as much as he hated it, he still couldn't help it. The whole, being famous thing, still took him by surprise, even after 5 years of going to a school in a world, where everyone knew his name and who he was even before he did.

"You have more of your mother in you then anyone realises, people see you and see James." McGonagall said softly observing him, shanking her head slightly.

"Tell me about her." said Harry, while people always talked about his father, they rarely spoke of his mother.

"She was a good witch though she had her faults as people do." said McGonagall, her eyes looking far away, "Your so much like her, you have her eyes, and her strength of character, but you defiantly inherited his recklessness. Though he grew out of that around his twenties, I dare say you will too, though probably a lot earlier then he did. You have had to grow up so quickly." said McGonagall sadly, shanking her head softly.

"I was there that day, you know, when we left you at your cursed muggle relatives." she said absently, Harry listened intently. "I had watched them all day, waiting for Dumbledore to show up, to tell me if the stories I had heard were true. That Voldemort had been defeated by a one year old, and not just any one year old, but the son of my former students and good friends. From that one day of observance I could already tell they were nothing like our kind. Did you know Hagrid was the one you took you to Privet Drive from Godric Hallow? On Sirius Black's flying motorbike, no less?" McGonagall snorted. "That man, no sense of subtlety."

She paused for awhile.

"We knew even then that you would not have a easy life with those Dursleys, but it either with those muggle, or in this world, famous before you could even walk or talk," she sighed. "But Dumbledore knows best, and beside's you didn't turn out too badly, did you?"

Harry smiled.

"Anyway, I'll pop this little tyke back to bed." said Professor McGonagall, picking up Daniel who didn't stir. "So you can get back to sleep, you want to rest up for tomorrow, I hear Moody is planning something to make up for the brake today. That will make the rest that he's been putting you though look like a picnic."

"Thanks, for the warning." said Harry

"Trust me, you'll need it." said Professor McGonagall, and with that, she and he still sleeping Daniel left. Leaving Harry in peace to ponder if he should start writing his will. For if Voldemort didn't kill him, Moody sure as anything would.

Moody had been training him for the last month, to 'toughen' him up. He always left the session, feeling like he had been beaten within a inch of his life, and if that was, but a picnic compared to what Moody had planned for tomorrow. Harry didn't like his chances for survival.

Harry got up, and walked to the desk on the other side of the room, and getting out a quill and parchment, started writing.

The last will and testament of Harry James Potter……………………

Harry rolled it up and chucked it in the bin, he was being stupid. Besides, Dumbledore wouldn't let Moody do anything _really_ serious. _Would he?_

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Harry walked in the Great Hall at bit later then usual that morning, and walked towards his usual spot on the one long table in the Great Hall, between McGonagall and Flitwick. Today though Harry didn't find himself at all surprised when he found the Flitwick seat had been taken by Daniel, who was currently being fussed over by a women on the other side, wiping his mouth was a napkin in a obvious maternal gesture, which typically Daniel didn't appreciate as he squirmed in his chair, tying to avoid his mother's hand.

Seeing Harry walking over to the table, she gave up for the moment, stood, and shock his hand as he reached the table.

"It's so nice to meet you at last, Harry. I've heard so much about you that I feel I already know you. Though I've heard from my mother that you're already meet this little rascal earlier this morning." she said, tossing a glare at her son.

"Yeah, I did. It nice to meet you too." said Harry, as he sat down in his chair, and reached for his first piece of morning toast.

"I hope he didn't wake you up too early this morning."

"No, Ma'am, I'm usually forced up an hour earlier anyway, so I still got to have a lie in."

"I had heard that Moody has taken you under his wing." stated Mrs Hunter, sitting down again. "I suppose that proves it, he always did like catching people of guard, usually a some ungodly hour in the morning."

"Yeah, he still does like catching people off guard." said Harry, "but sometime, I can't help but think, that he just does it to torture me."

McGonagall's daughter laughed.

"'ey 'arry." said Daniel with a mouth full of food, waving a him.

"Daniel John Middleton Calen Jay Hunter, how many time have I had to tell you! Don't speak with a mouth full!" said Mrs Hunter in that tone of voice that so far Harry had only ever encountered in Mrs Weasley. That tone of voice that left everyone in no doubt that someone was deeply in trouble.

Daniel winced, as his mother started her more then likely well practiced lecture on table manners.

Poor kid. commented Harry, to the castle.

****

Nah, you don't mean that. I happen to know that you would give anything to be in his shoes. said the castle.

What, have you added mind reading to your bag of tricks? said Harry sarcastically .

****

Just saying what I think. said the Castle defensively, like it was insulted Harry, even thought that the Castle had a bag of tricks.

Yeah, right. And I'm Merlin himself. said Harry dryly.

After that comment, for some reason the Castle cracked up laughing and Harry had no idea what on earth, could have been that funny. After a minute of non stop laughter, Harry blocked out the castle, in a vein attempt to get some peace.

"So, Harry. All prepared for what Moody has planned?" asked Mrs Hunter, after having calmed down, and starting to cut up her pancakes.

"Not really, I only found out about it a couple of hours ago. I have a feeling Moody didn't even want me to know about it at all." answered Harry.

"Maybe, I could see him doing that." said Mrs Hunter, "but now your got a head start, which is always good. Just remember not to lose your head. Though from what I've heard you shouldn't have a problem. You would be surprised how often that ended up happening though even after three years of Aurora training. Grown Witches and Wizards crying." she finished shanking her head, smiling slightly as if she was proud of something.

"Are you an Auror?" asked Harry interested, turning his head away from his plate, to look at her as she answered.

"I used to be, way back when, but then I had this little tyke, and I didn't want to be gone half the time. So I've now got the job of making sure the Auror Trainees are up to scratch for their final exams." she smirked, the slight smile widening. Which suddenly reminded Harry sharply of Moody, just before he was going to do something really cruel (like last week when he made Harry run though an obstacle course complete with everything from dummy Death Eaters, Boggarts, and Peeves at three o'clock in the morning. In Harry opinion Peeves at three in the morning should be illegal and under cruel and unusual punishments.) "Which is always has it's fun points."

"Nonsense." said McGonagall having entered the hall not long before, and siting down on the other side of Harry. "Don't forgot I raised you, I know you. You just like bossing them around, tormenting them, and getting paid for it."

"Mum, how could you say such a thing about your own loving daughter. Didn't I come here specify to see you." said Mrs Hunter.

"No, dear. You came to see the Headmaster, after which 'something is going to come up' and you'll rush off, leaving David with me, content in the knowledge that your got free babysitting from your dear old mum again."

"Mum, you have an overactive imagination." said Mrs Hunter. "0ne, your not old. Two, nothing is going to come up. Three, if, not when, something does come up I'm not going to ask you to baby sit. I'll just ask Harry, seeing that David taking such a liking to him, I'm sure he would appreciate the pocket money. Only if that's ok with him, of course?"

"Yeah, sure." said Harry only resizing after what he was agreeing to.

Oh Merlin, what have I just got myself into!

You just agreed to baby-sit the 'little tyke'.

But I can't! I've never been a babysitter in my life!

Should have thought of that before you agreed to it. said the Castle.

"So, Harry, have you nearly finished all your homework?" asked Mrs Hunter

"Yeah, I finished it last week." said Harry

"So, the famous Harry Potter saw fit to complete his homework on time like everyone else for a change." said Snape, he opened his moth again, no doubt to continue. When suddenly David started laughing, and with everyone's attention turned to him.

"You're a greasy git." said David.

****

Oh, no. thought Harry.

"David!" exclaimed Mrs Hunter shocked.

"Elizabeth!" exclaimed McGonagall looking at her daughter.

"Mum!" exclaimed Mrs Hunter again, and then looking at her son, "David, apologise to Professor Snape immediately!"

"I'm sorry, Uncle Snape."

"David, I have no idea where you leant that kind of language. There is going to be no dessert for the rest of the week." said Mrs Hunter.

"But Mum…."

"Do you want me to make that two weeks?" threatened Mrs Hunter.

"No." said David, looking down in to his cereal, like it held the secrets of the universe.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Harry spent the rest of the morning in at state of nerves. He hadn't been this nervous since the Triwizard Tournament. It didn't help that everyone he spoke to wished him good luck, and looked at him like it was the last time they would see him in one piece. After lunchtime he had finally had enough and had decided to lock himself up, in the library for the rest of the day, going though all the defence bocks. He had a feeling he was going to need to know everything he could get his hands on for whatever Moody had planned. Knowing Moody, whatever it was, it was bound to be sadistic, and when he would least suspect it.

So after lunch, with the noble intentions of studying his mind numb, he planned to read every defence book he could get his hands on. Unfortunately for Harry, his plans rarely work out like there supposed to. As it worked out in the end, he only managed to fit in a hour, of possibility lifesaving research before McGonagall asked for a favour, and it's not like he could say no to his head of house. Could he?

Harry sitting on the red plush chair in the library, watched as Mrs Hunter wrote down a list of the books, she and her mother had to pick up from Diagon Ally.

"I would have asked Professor Snape, but Daniel wanted to stay with you, are you sure it's alright?" asked McGonagall again for the fifth time

"It will be fine." said Harry reassuring for the fifth time.

"We should only be a hour or two at most." said McGonagall winging her hands.

"It will be fine, mum." said Mrs Hunter. "It's not like Daniel hasn't been baby sited before, and I'm sure Harry will have no trouble looking after Daniel. In fact" she continued looking addressing Harry. "he's probably more likely to listen to you, then to me."

Mrs Hunter looked back at her list.

"I'm forgetting something. Oh and Harry, as much as he will try, to convince you otherwise, Daniel is not allowed to fly, and is to keep his feet firmly on the ground at all times. If you run into any trouble, Professor Dumbledore will be know how to contact us. Oh, yes," said Mrs Hunter, scribbling down on her list. "Sybil wanted us to pick up her order of tea cup sets."

McGonagall snorted, "It's amazing how she does though them so fast, seeing as she didn't even have any class for half of last year."

"I think that's about it." said Mrs Hunter, ignoring her mother's comment. "Well, we'll be off. I'll send Daniel up here in a bit before we leave." she said, rolling up the parchment shopping list and shoving it in her huge green dragon skinned handbag. "See you in a couple of hours, Harry."

They left thought the library doors.

"Yeah." called Harry, then quietly as soon as he knew they were out of hearing range. "Hours."

What on earth am I meant to do with an eight year old for two hours?

Wreak havoc? Torment Snape? Do the Hokey Pokey?

Hokey Pokey? thought Harry incredibly, like he had a feeling the Castle had a couple of screws loses.

Don't tell me you don't know the Hokey Pokey. Even I know about it.

Of course I know the Hokey Pokey. snapped Harry, then taking the effort to calm down as he was already well aware by that point that if he didn't calm down now, he'll say something he'll regret and spend the next few days getting hopelessly lost. The castle tended to keep grudges.

****

Then you shouldn't have any trouble entertaining an eight year old then. Good luck, though. Just remember they can smell fear.

Thanks, that's so comforting. said Harry sarcastically .

****

Your welcome. said the castle like it was completely unaware that Harry was being sarcastic. Harry rolled his eyes, he didn't know what was the more crazy, a person thinking a Castle was talking to them, or a Castle thinking it could talk to a person. What would Hermoine and Ron say when….

'even in the wizarding world hearing voices isn't a good sign'

He couldn't tell them, they probably wouldn't even believe him if he did. Whoever heard of Castles talking? It isn't like in second year when he was simply hearing another language and didn't know it. This was different. This was in his head.

Harry shock his head, this was just going to have to be one of those thing he had to keep to himself, just like the disturbing new ability to see magic. No, way was he telling anyone about that, they'll probably lock him up with Lockhart in St Mungo, knowing his luck.

At least Voldemort had been quiet recently, and he hadn't had a dream since…..that one. The one that baited him in to going to the Ministry, that worked because Harry had a 'playing the hero' thing. That hurt his friends, because they wouldn't let him go on his own, and got his godfather Sirius killed, because of him. As much as Harry had at first blamed everyone, most especially himself, the only one who could really be blamed was Voldemort.

Harry shock his head again, it would be no good thinking about that.

He trained his eyes back on his book _Defence Training, 101 Points to Remember When Your Instructor is a Paranoid Mad Sadist. _Which had been written by a person who had obviously met Mad Eye Moody or even Mrs Hunter, if her smirk at lunch was anything to go by.

57. Do double the amount of work they set for homework. P.M.S (Paranoid Mad Sadist) Instructors tend to underestimate the amount of work you need to do. In order to catch you out, something which they take great delight in.

The writer had also evidently met Professor Snape as well. Though the most helpful tip had to be number 58.

58. When dealing with physical P.M.S Instructor who tends to take great delight in waking you up each morning in increasingly mean ways. Invest in an alarm clock, set to an hour before the usual wake up call time. By being already up and dressed, you eliminate another chance for your P.M.S Instructor to ruin your life.

Not a bad idea, thought Harry, making a mental note to buy an alarm clock at the next opportunity

"What you doing?"

Harry nearly jumped out of his seat, he had been so busy reading he hadn't see or heard the approach of David. Moody wouldn't have let him live this down, if he was here. Constant Vigilance.

"What _are_ you doing." corrected Harry, without thinking. Oh, no! Now I'm sounding like Hermoine, like the sudden studying bug isn't enough. I wonder if they do voluntary commitments at St Mungo.

_ What are you doing then?" asked David again, sitting down on the chair next to Harry. His feet didn't touch the ground._

"I'm studying." said Harry, thinking it was easier to say that then get in to an explanation about the real story about the about mad Headmasters and P.M.S instructors.

"Why?"

Because if I don't, Moody will probably wipe the floor with me come tomorrow, saving Voldemort the trouble.

"Because it will help."

"Why?" asked David, "Oh, does this have to do with……" looking around, then whispering. "_You-Know-Who."_

"You could say that." said Harry quickly finishing the page he was on, and slamming his book shut. "So…….up for a game of Exploding Snap?"

In the end, babysitting wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. It was like hanging out with a younger and a hell of a lot shorter Ron. In the end, it surprised Harry how the time just flew by. While they just hanged out in the library, playing Exploding Snap, (which they were lucky to escape from with their eyebrows still firmly attached). Chess, (which Daniel also managed to beat him at four times out of six games, something which if Ron ever found out about, would never let him live down), and arguing about who had, by far, the best Quidditch team, which Harry hid his extremely limited knowledge of, by playing Devil's Advocate to everything he said.

Now, if only Harry could be sure of what Moody was planing for tomorrow….. maybe he would still be alive by the start of the term in two weeks.

From Cartooned,

P.S Please feed the review box before you leave, it will only take a second?


	4. Not Just

Author Note: I have just come back from the dead. I have been vacationing on the other side, where the little old ladies and men in white coats dragged me to silence me for ever on the vast secrets my mind hold on this story. Nah, I did not think anyone would believe that but I had to try. I had half of this chapter sitting on my computer since I last posted, and I just kinda lost all my enthusiasm for it. I kept telling myself I will do it tomorrow, but as we all know that go on forever. It had gotten to the point that I had no intention what so ever of ever picking this story up again, when at a loss for something else to read,I reread the Calm before the Storm. Now, I am back. Sorry for falling off the planet like that, I will not say it will not happen again, especially as I am in the middle of my last year at school.

"I don't want to cause a lot of injuries unnecessarily. All those who don't like visiting the doctor should retreat now."  
Kenshin, RUROUNI KENSHIN

"With two thousand years of examples behind us we have no excuse, when fighting, for not fighting well." T. E. Lawrence

Chapter 4- Not Just A Celebrity. 

(Dream)

That night Harry sat in the wooden chair on the side of the huge room. The chair had not been made for comfort, as this was a room made for anything but comfort. There was a running track around the edge of the room, that Harry had been forced to jog so many times, while dodging hexes. There were the stretching mats for warming up and cooling off, near the middle of the room, next to the square of carpet that had served as a learning ground for street fighting a couple of weeks ago.

Harry moved on his wooden seat, feeling restless and worried. Worried because when he woke up tomorrow, he would be facing Moody's idea of an 'test'. Restless because ever since Harry had told the man during the warm up stretch about what was happening tomorrow, he had been pacing to and from ever since. The good part was that it made the man forget about the all so 'important' sword skills he needed to learn. The unfortunate side to it was that it had left Harry to sit in the uncomfortable wooden chair on the side of the room to take a rest, but Harry was feeling too restless for it to be any good.

Watching his nameless instructor pace, Harry couldn't help but think about the large number of things he didn't know about his teacher. Moody would disown having ever taught him, if he ever found out about the fact that he couldn't help but trust someone he knew nothing about. He did not even know where here was, for Merlin's sake! Though sometimes it reminded Harry vaguely of the room of requirement, the way it changed to suit its users needs.

Suddenly the man stopped his pacing and walked back till he was standing in fount of Harry.

"So," said the man, "Moody has planned something for tomorrow and you don't know what it is, but you do know it going to be sadistic and make the rest look like a picnic."

The man sat down in the chair that just appeared out of nowhere next to Harry's, and leaned forward, putting his head in his hands.

"Jezz, and I thought I was working you hard. I surprised you haven't kneeled over yet, between Moody, Tonks, and myself."

"Well, it kinda helps that I can't even remember this when I'm awake." said Harry, with just a trace of reproach in his tone.

"I am really sorry about all this secrecy from conscious self, but until you know?" he said shrugging his shoulders. "That is just the way thinks are going to have to be. Beside any skills you learn here, you're able to use in the real world. Like the sword and street fighting. Though I recommend you stick to the street fighting, you still a bit of a danger with that sword."

Harry blushed, while he had improved since he had started, if it weren't for the fact that somehow you couldn't be hurt here, besides being badly bruised once he woke up. Harry would have lost a grand total of about roughly five arms give or take a few, his head three times, and his right legs once. The embarrassing part being that it wasn't always by his opponent.

"Well, you've just not a natural at the sword," explained the man, "Neither am I at that, I prefer a nice close dagger, and hey, my wife beats me every time at the sword, even though I started training before her. Now she is a natural at it."

"You have a wife?" asked Harry.

"Yeah." said the man, "It shocks me too sometimes, and she is as beautiful, as she is wise. So I have absolutely no idea why she married me." Looking more human then Harry had ever seen before. "So any special women in your life?"

"Nah, beside, I don't want to risk it. I mean, anyone near me ends up dead."

You'll learn, thought the man. She's going to knock the stuffing out of you.

"Anyway, don't forget to use everything you have, and goodness sake don't just rely on your wand, that's where so many wizards and witches go wrong. Work the street fighting in to your offence and defense," said the man, "and most important of all, don't lose your head."

"I won't." said Harry simply

"I know." said the man just as simply. Then rubbing his hands together, he stood up. "Now we have wasted half our time chit chatting, we can start on the fun stuff. We are going to start a new sword drill."

Harry groaned loudly.

"Hey, just because I was the same as you are now once, doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you. For a person who doesn't naturally take to the sword they have two options."

"Not learn the sword?" Harry suggestedhopefully.

"If you want to get yourself killed? Yeah, go ahead. Option two is, that they work harder, they sweat longer, and they master it. I know you are capable of doing what I did, and become almost unbeatable at the sword."

"Expect for your wife." Inserted Harry cheekily.

"Well, she loves me too much to do too much damage," said the man smiling. "Look, Harry. I know with practice and time you could beat me. Unless you want to prove Snape has been right all along, and that you are nothing but a celebrity."

Harry didn't say anything, and then he slowly stood up and summoned his sword off the wall on the other end of the room.

"I'm not just a celebrity."

"I know." said the man, summering his own sword off the wall. "Okay, it's parry, block….."

Needless to say, Harry picked up the new drill in record time.

Not soon after the two hour drill practice, the man sent Harry back to sleep the rest of the hours till morning, knowing he would need the advantage of a restful nights sleep behind him for tomorrow.

He then sat down on the chair on the side of the room, just drinking in the solitude and stillness. Till a pop disturbed him, and caused him to glare up at the intruder, his glare softened though when he caught sight of his wife.

"Hey, beautiful," said the man, as the room created a chair next to him.

'Hey, handsome," she smiled, as she sat next to him. "I don't see…….your student. Why did you send him back so early? I was looking forward to meeting him tonight."

"You'll see him in a couple of days, the Moody thing is tomorrow." He answered simply.

"That means we only have a couple of more days up here before we can go down," she said smiling.

"Yeah, and I still can't believe he that stupid about woman!" Exclaimed the man. "I mean he still thinks that it's dangerous to get too close to someone else!"

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, I tend to remember a certain someone…." said the woman, but she never finished as the man kissed her and by instinct she kissed back. When ever he kissed her it was like the whole world would disappear, leaving only them. Damn him, looking at the smug look on his face when they drew back from lack of oxygen. He knew she couldn't think when he was doing that!

"If you think you can shut me up with a kiss, then…" she said as angrily.

"Then what?" The man said, now grinning, knowing that she wasn't nearly as angry as she seemed.

"Then you aresmarter then I think you are." she said, drawing closer and kissing him again.

"I don't know if I've just been insulted or complimented."

"Your not meant to, Honey." She said helpfully, patting his hand. "Merlin! You don't know how I've missed this!"

"Missed what?"

"Just talking like this, it's just that whenever we stay at your mother's place……you know she has eyes everywhere. It's just good to know that here, it's just us."

"Yeah I agree, but since we still have another couple of days till then, and my mother isn't expecting as back for at least a couple of hours, and we have this room all to our selves…."

"Sir! Are you suggesting, what I think your suggesting?"

"And if I am, Fair Lady?" Asked the man cheekily.

She looked at him, then leaned over till she was almost in his lap and whispered in his ear.

"I knew there had to be a reason, I keep marrying you."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Harry woke that morning to the sound of an alarm that sounded to Harry like the magical equivalent of a security alarm. Harry jumped out of bed, and run to the door where a parchment had been slipped under the door.

Harry went to pick it up when suddenly the parchment floated up till it was level with his eyes. Harry narrowed them suspiciously, and then slowly reached out his left arm and touched it, and almost immediately recalled his arm. The parchment was folding itself, and if Harry hadn't already known it wasn't a howler (the absence of smoke and screaming ruled that out), that is exactly what he would have sworn it was. By that time it had folded itself in to the origami shape of a mouth, and Harry put his hands over his ears when…..

"_Potter!" _Moody harsh voice projecting out of the folded parchment. "_You did think to check this for hex's, and curses before you touched it? No, of course you didn't that would be using too much of what little common sense you have. Why in my day, that was the first thing they would teach us…."_

"_Right after the lesson on 'Not Losing Your Buttock'_" projected Tonk's cheerful voice. _"Relax, Moody, it's not like you actually hexed it. Beside he probably just woke up and doesn't need you yelling."_

"_Gotta by careful otherwise you end up dead." _Moody said gruffly, causing Harry to smile slightly. "_Now Potter, here is the situation as it stands, Hogwarts has been invaded by Death Eaters, they have captured the majority of staff, and students in the great hall. There is an unknown amount of Death Eaters stationed out in the castle and grounds. The mission objective is to release the captives in the Great Hall, and to stun and capture as many Death Eaters as you can along the way."_

"_I wouldn't worry too much Harry. It will just be us, even though the black robes are going to completely clash will my orange and pink hairstyle. I'm thinking of changing it to a Curella Devil kind of style, go with the whole black and white theme……"_

"_Tonks! This is not a time to talk about hair! This is serious. Good luck, Potter. You are going to need it."_

"_But hair is serious…….."_

Harry watched as the piece of parchment having finished what it had to say, screwed itself up in to a ball and disappeared as it was burnt in a flame of fire and smoke.

Harry finally emerged from his room, half an hour later, in his new dragon hide dueling cloak that Tonks and Moody had insisted he buy as it was capable of repealing most hexes, and curses. As long as, of course, that it hit the cloak and not the wearer. Something Harry had been as unfortunate to discover during one of his lessons with Moody a week ago, and being Moody had been entirely unmerciful. Refusing to take the cheering charm off him ("teach you to be more careful, boy"), and therefore resulting in Harry laughing in Snape face for no reason.

Under his new dueling cloak, Harry wore the oldest Dudley seconds he had that still fit, so he had the optimal range of movement. Something told him he was going to need every advantage he could get.

……advantage….

Harry could have kicked himself, how could he have forgotten. The Marauders Map was exactly what he needed. He would know where everyone before running in to them. Why on earth didn't he think of it before? Running back in to his room, Harry pushed open the truck and dug though the side pockets, finding his invisibility cloak, his photo album and a spare bit of parchment.

Grinning with success of his search, Harry put always the photo album and flipped the invisibility cloak on (even though it was absolutely unless against Moody and Dumbledore), and put the map in his dragon hide cloak pocket.

He was ready. Now the only question was…..

Were they ready for him?

Harry wasn't going to give them a chance to find out, he moved quickly down the twisting hallways and stairways. At least there was one advantage to having the Castle invading his mind, there was no waiting for staircase to move were you wanted them to. Unless of course you had pissed the Castle off, something Harry was rather _skilled_ at. Luckily today that was not a problem, so it seemed with no time at all Harry had reached the Gryffindor portrait entrance.

Harry, without having glanced at the map had found two of the so called Death Eater's guarding the entrance to the common room. It hadn't been that large a jump in logic, with a limited number of 'Death Eaters' and a huge castle, with thousands of hiding places, secret passageways and classrooms. It had made sense to place them at exits and entrances, to the houses, and the castle itself.

The only question was what was he going to do now he had found them?

He just knew he needed to think of something fast before they realized he was there. Should he just use the element of surprise and just jump out and stun them, but that wouldn't work very well with two of them, but if he was invisible?

Harry put the coat over him completely and under his breath performed a sticking charm. It wouldn't do, to lose the clock before he was ready.

"_Stupefy. Stupefy_" whispered Harry in quick succession. However it was not quick enough, while the first fell to the floor, the other had had time to jump out of the way before it hit.

The fake Death Eater now had the wand up and was searching for him, without stopping to think Harry _moved_ somehow mysterious knowing exactly what to do. In less then five seconds later, both fake Death Eaters were down and tied up. Moody had said to capture them didn't he?

Harry grinned; this was going to be fun.

A/N

_It is short I know but seeing as it has been so long since I updated I thought I might as well post it. It had not been beta read though I looked over it quickly myself before I posted it with the spell check. But as we all know spell check can only work so well.._


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